It seems like I might be the only one getting our mail carrier a gift. I picked up a $5 gift card at StarBucks and thought he could get something warm after his shift...The barista thought it was nice, my mom thought I spoiled the mailman...In the past I have given him homemade candy and chocolate oranges!

The boyfriend's father was a mail carrier and he got gifts sometimes, though the bf cannot remember any!

I should this year, our mailman always puts up with an army of dogs barking him every time he comes to the door.

_________________"The Tree is His Penis"

The tree is his penis // it's very exciting // when held up to his mouth // the lights are all lighting // his eyes start a-bulging // in unbridled glee // the tree is his penis // its beauty, effulgent -amandabear

I won't. He always gives our mail to my landlord who then has to sort it out. Once, when I was getting Netflix movies in the mail, I had to explain to him that you can not bend them because they are like CD's, and he looked at me like I was from another planet.

I never have but I know it at least used to be a really common thing to do. I wonder if maybe in years past carriers had the same route long enough to really get to know people? I was at my old house for almost 8 years and I don't think I ever saw the same carrier twice. And my neighbors and I have a bank of mailboxes at the front of the driveway and I have no earthly idea who delivers my mail. I think it's a really nice thing to do, though, and I can't see how kicking someone $5 for a warm drink at Sbucks is "spoiling" anyone... that sort of makes it sound like they don't deserve it. And anyone doing a job for you deserves to be treated nicely.

I would totally give my postal carrier a tip/gift in theory, but a) I don't know who they are/they aren't consistently the same person, b) we have centralized mail boxes so I rarely see them, c) they fail to bring things to my door that they're supposed to - like knocking on the door with certified mail, they just leave a card in the mailbox and never leave it at the door even after I've signed it telling them to do so and returned the card (and also have complained to the post office several times) - I always have to go to the far away post office to get certified mail, d) they actually sent us an envelope in which to put a tip - which seems totally obnoxious.

ETA: My mother has had the same carrier since she moved into her house - 21 years. She gives him a gift.

I should state that we have had the same carrier since we moved in 4 years, he knocks when we have a package and often picks up our mail even when we do not have anything incoming (which they are not required to do)...

Gifts to mail carriers have to be under $20. I would buy a bottled beverage, like a hard drink but I do not know him well enough. I read that SB/coffee houses are the least turned in gift cards since everyone can find something there!

No, because I usually leave for work before the post arrives. Also, it hasn't been arriving very much lately and I'm paranoid that it'll be found in one of those periodic 'postman dumped post behind abandoned building then went to pub' stories.

Also, a lot of things like cards have been getting badly bent when I do get them, as the postmen seem to shove them forcefully in roughly the direction of the letterbox rather than folding the flap back to post them through.

In short, I say if you see your mail carrier often enough to recognise them, and they do a good job, a Starbucks card is a small price to pay to show your appreciation, but one they will probably be pleased to get. I think my parents usually give the waste people and the post people Christmas gift envelopes with some cash in, if they see them. My dad is very traditional about things like that.

I would totally give my postal carrier a tip/gift in theory, but a) I don't know who they are/they aren't consistently the same person, b) we have centralized mail boxes so I rarely see them, c) they fail to bring things to my door that they're supposed to - like knocking on the door with certified mail, they just leave a card in the mailbox and never leave it at the door even after I've signed it telling them to do so and returned the card (and also have complained to the post office several times) - I always have to go to the far away post office to get certified mail, d) they actually sent us an envelope in which to put a tip - which seems totally obnoxious.

ETA: My mother has had the same carrier since she moved into her house - 21 years. She gives him a gift.

When we had our business and got to know USPS and UPS, we always did. For the UPS guy, we gave him stuff for his baby daughter since we knew that's what would make him happiest. USPS guy we didn't know as well, so we gave him a $50 Kroger card (he schlepped a LOT of packages for us, with a smile and wave). Grocery store cards aren't glamorous, but they are good because people can find lots of things there, or nice wine, or just use them cash they save off their grocery bill to do anything they want.

UPS guy at my apartment got cookies and a Kroger card. He went above and beyond helping me when I ordered Molly's heavy, heavy, heavy steel cage. I lived on the third floor and wasn't home when he tried, but he still took it back out of the truck and brought it back up the stairs and made sure it was where I wanted it.

UPS always seems to have super awesome delivery people.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

I would totally give our UPS guy a gift if he wasn't so quick and I had thought of it. He is scared to death of my dogs and really does a good ding dong ditch.

Strangely, our USPS people change frequently, I don't know whats up but I see a different person every time. They deliver to a group mailbox so I rarely see them but when I do, it is a different person. Also, they don't pick up any mail here, just deliver. You are expected to take outgoing mail to the neighborhood post box.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

I do (when I remember, which is not every year), a $10 gift card to Tim Horton's since it's right across the street. I figure it's winter, I'm sure a coffee or tea is nice mid-shift (and if not, it's easy to regift).

This year has been a PITA but it's not the mailman's fault, it's the new post office policy for this apartment complex (supposedly due to theft). Since a lot of what I order is $2 books, I'd rather the mailman leave it and I'll take the risk of having it stolen rather than have everything shipped to work, but try telling the Post Office that.

Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 11:51 amPosts: 8123Location: United States of New England

we always give our mail lady a $10-$15 gift card to Dunkin Donuts. we dont know who she is personally. i dont even think we knew she was a female until she sent us a thank you note the first year we left her a gift card. i just think it's a nice idea.it's shitty here in the winter, the street isnt always plowed that great. i just like the idea of trying to brighten someone's day. i would leave cash but like someone said that is no longer allowed in the US.she always leaves us a thank you note which i think is nice.

we used to leave the same thing for the trash collectors too. we would tape it to the top of the trash can. this year the town redid the trash system and we have standardized trash cans we have to use and they got new trucks that have mechanical arms that grab the trash cans themselves and empty them. no one gets out of the truck anymore so i dont think they would even see if we left them something

I would if the mail carrier didn't give me someone else's mail at least 12 times a year. I just put it back in the outgoing box in hopes that it will get delivered correctly. Then I wonder about all the mail I probably didn't get.